Mr Lee Posted September 22, 2008 Posted September 22, 2008 (edited) If anyone needs to open a local bank account in Cebu City, there is a lovely young lady who is the assistant manager of Bank of Commerce, Cebu-Main Branch, at Osmena Blvd, near Robinson's Dept. Store, you can call her at (032)253-1951 to 53, and just ask for Mayen Banking hours are from 9am to 4pm on Mondays to Fridays. And from 10am to 3pm on Saturdays. She is at the bank from Monday to Friday but not always on a Saturday. My wife and I personally went in to the bank and checked her out and made sure she was a legitimate person.Mayen can and will open accounts for non Filipinos as long as they are doing it for legit reasons. There are requirements once you get there but you can start out by opening the account online or via emails to her if you are out of the country and even wire money into it, but IMO keep the amount low until you get there.You will need two valid forms of id, a passport and a drivers license or some other valid id if you do not have a drivers license. You will also have to provide her with two passport type photos when you go to the bank.You will need to give her your birth date (which is on the id anyway) and you address outside the Philippines if you do not live in Cebu or your local address if you do. You will need to be interviewed by her to ascertain the reason that you need to have an account in the Philippines. In other words, living expenses while here or to buy property or a car or whatever, but you need a valid reason and my guess is that if she feel uncomfortable with your reason, being the honest person that she seems to be, she would be forced to not open the account for you, so no hanky panky and do not joke around because many times non Filipinos sense of humor is not understood in the Philippines.Besides the stuff above, you will need the minimum balance in cash P3000 for a peso account and $500 for a dollar account. I am not sure about other forms of currency but I am sure she can answer that if you call her. BTW, the least expensive way to move money to the Philippines with no questions asked, is to deposit checks into your dollar account and wait the 21 days for them to clear and then withdraw the cash and you can have a money changer of your choice meet you at the bank if the amount is large enough, or go to the money changer for lower amounts. Mayen also has some pretty good money changers who will meet at the bank and do the exchange for you. Added Mayens email address modigal@bankcom.com.ph Edited July 31, 2009 by Mr. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike S Posted September 25, 2008 Posted September 25, 2008 Yes Lee I am another satisfied customer and as a side note she also handles my Veco and Pldt bills when I bring them in each month so no more standing in line waiting to get these bills paid ........ hopefully when the banks on-line services start either this or next month we will be able to handle this on line with ....... she was very helpful setting up my peso and dollar account ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelofBroden Posted November 1, 2008 Posted November 1, 2008 Had I known this when I was in the Philippines I would surely open an account with them. I wanted to open one with Metrobank, they asked for Philippine issued ID's that I don't have anymore, and didn't honor just my passport and other U.S. issued credentials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_shor Posted November 3, 2008 Posted November 3, 2008 She opened a Peso and Dollar account for me last month. Now I am one step closer to my big move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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